Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-30
\ MESSENGER.

On a great stretch of rough pasture
Mri near Swe, tao,e lake stands the
lonely Lille homes cad where old Aaron
Nua.-suu lived nearly twenty years
ego.
Far a. the eye can travel not another
human hahitatJou can be seen. only a
JyoJ sweep of half reclaimed moor
lard, broken 10y huge gray powders,
clumls ot golden brdCkeu, and with
erred fIrle.
To eastward, however, there Is the
cleaning water and the blue line OF
distant hills.
Oae autumn evening the old man sat
alone by the kitchen ire, gazing soT-
rowfuIly into It.
His pipe lay neglected on the hob, and
she beautiful collie that Law stretched
AZ his feet looked ~ In vain for the
kindly notice u which he WAS accuS-
toned and by and by Moss rose up and
laid his head on his masters knee IN
deep dumb sympathy.
The little farm, poor though It was,
and the small DARK house were dear 10
the old man; and from time TO time lie
glanced wisttully round the kitchen.
The ftful freight fell on the dark
ANAAAAAa ga kAAN hAAAANfAf1hA ANNAf NtAAANNN
the shining tInwaUe hanging on the
wall, and the old fashioned plates and
dishes ranged along the polished OaEen
dresser and lit up the brass face of the
ancient clock ticking away the hours.
Al. dear. How long would It All be
hisP
Things had been going against the
farmer.
HIS sheep hal died, and his hay had
been badly won, aud, for the first time
II BIS honest, hard working life, the
rent day was close AT hand and lie could
not meet IL.
So within that tiny homestead old
age sat alone with care and grief, while
outside were youth and love and hope
aud happiness.
Tie gold of sunset yet fingered in a
few faint streaks amid the dark clouds
70 westward, but the shadow OF ap
proashIug night lay on AL the land.
Scarcely sound was TO be heard
save tie fresh, clear voice Of . young
CIR. calling home the cows.
Holy. I,ty. Hofyl'' as is the sweet,
half plalulive cry of the north country ,
and the answering low of the gentle
tIeatuTes came nearer and nearer
through the twilight
Long ere the beasts have reached
their home another ear had heard the
maiden ; call, aud tall handsome lad
WAS by NaggIe's side, and her warm
young lips ielt her lovers kiss
Poor, motherless Maggie! her lie had
been % lonely one, though the stern old
father loved her almost to idolatary-
loved her with An eXaCting intensity
tIat made him long to keep her ever in
bis $ ghJ aud jealous of all who looked
upon lis darling, and 10y its very pas
sion raised a barrier between his child 5
heart and his own.
For Maggie, with all her youth thrOb-
b.ny within her, and all her beauty
(Which, womanhke, she had found out
she pOssessed), fretted against the love
which sought to cage her, and grew
impatient against age which had lost its
sympathy with youth.
Tie father had been we'll on In mid
die life when lie married his young
wife, and may be she too had missed
something, il Maggie got her poetic
temperament anu Joy loving nature
from the mother that died 50 early.
Small blame to the girl that when
love stole into her heart she guarded
the secret carefully from the old man >
know edge.
a mother would have guessed it di-
rect.y had she seen how the blue eyes
deepyued, how the red pouting lips lost
their childish curves and gained pen
s.ye tenderness; but the change was too
subtle one TO be marked by the old
farmer.
ld.o of care, too, rs he was through
That anxious summer, how could he
guess taat It's gIOamings found Maggie
lingering by the we'll where the wild
roses grew, or watching the water
fowls build their nests in the sedges
with one who knew the haunts and
habits Of every bird and beast and but
trrdy "a the county around?
such knowledge was at discount
in the district, and Ralph Irwin was
thought little better then a fool by the
Esgauors when they came across him
.yiag motIouless as log TO watch a
Wild duck I'm its flight or a hawk sweep
tng down upon its prey.
IL is odd that Of all classes farmers
as arUe nave the least interest in ma
ture aud in the habits of untamed crea-
tunes, and the most supreme contempt
Tor those who care TO observe the way
OF beasts tIat have not got market
value, or the growth of plants that
serve neither for food nor for winter
warmth
~ poor Ralph, with all his instinct
I'VE craving To know about everything
tadt lives, his treasures. OF dead and
LVIug birds, eggs Of all sizes and colors,
MS carefully collected, II i'll set, MOTH IS
ahd butterflies, and his dried iJwers,
!eaVes and ferns, wree considered quite
IN Tile .wut of A nts'er-lO-well
h's father, too, had possessed the
same tastes and more vagrant habits,
and had once got into a serious scTape
Aaent apOaching frolIc; and the shadow
VI That disgrace was still remembered